Amstrad, a U.K.-based supplier of digital satellite receivers, has signed two manufacture and supply agreements with British satellite broadcaster BSkyB. One is to supply Sky+ set-top boxes, and the second is to provide a new Sky branded combined keyboard and remote control. These two agreements are in addition to the company’s ongoing supply of standard digiboxes to BSkyB.
Sky+, launched in September 2001, is the UK’s first integrated personal video recorder (PVR), combining a digital satellite receiver and PVR. Sky+ uses a dual-tuner and hard drive enabling viewers to record one channel while watching another, store up to 20 hours of programs on the Sky+ planner, automatically record all new episodes of a series, and pause or rewind live TV. The new combined keyboard and remote control, to be known as the Sky Navigator, will be sold as an upgrade option.
